How much of Leon are players going to see?
The Game Awards 2025 had plenty of exciting announcements last Friday (12 December GMT+8), and Capcom was one of the presenters onstage that didn’t hold back.
Fans got a first look at Leon S Kennedy in Resident Evil Requiem; older, cooler, and ready for action, complete with a custom Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT. The trailer alone had everyone buzzing, and now an interview with Automaton adds even more fuel to the fire.
Director Akifumi Nakanishi and producer Masato Kumazawa revealed how Leon’s chapters will balance high-octane action against Grace Ashcroft’s intense horror sequences, plus how the dual-protagonist structure is designed to keep players on their toes.
Switching between scares and adrenaline
Requiem tells a single, unified story, but players alternate between Leon and Grace’s sections as the plot unfolds. “There are even some scenes where they meet,” Nakanishi said. Grace is described as “the biggest scaredy-cat in Resident Evil history,” while Leon is a seasoned veteran. The contrast between their personalities is a core part of the experience.
You don’t need to be a series veteran to enjoy Leon. “The only thing you need to know is that he was involved in the Raccoon City incident. We want players to focus on how he confronts things now that he’s older, and how he chooses to deal with the events around him,” Kumazawa said. Nakanishi added, “One thing’s for sure, Leon isn’t just handsome, he’s cool personality-wise too. He’s the type who doesn’t hesitate to sacrifice himself to save others, but he’s not arrogant about it, and he has a passionate inner self. I hope you’ll also look forward to the dry wit and subtle sarcasm that only an older guy can bring.”
Designing Leon involved careful attention to his growth and presence. “Although he’s a character who carries a lot on his shoulders, we took a lot of care in refining him to be an ‘ikeoji’ (a cool/attractive older guy),” Nakanishi said. Returning to Raccoon City for the first time since Resident Evil 2, Leon reacts to the place where it all began now that he’s older, giving fans another layer to explore.
Two protagonists, two styles of gameplay
Gameplay is nearly equally split between Leon and Grace. Nakanishi explained, “In terms of gameplay, Grace and Leon’s playable sections are almost equally split. It’s almost like having two games with completely different types of tension mixed together. Early on, we worried players might not be able to keep up, but now we feel that the contrast gives the game a unique rhythm, like jumping into a cold bath after sitting in a hot sauna (laughs).”
Leon’s chapters focus on fast-paced, adrenaline-pumping action, while Grace delivers the scarier and more suspenseful horror sequences. “We’re really emphasizing the difference in their experiences this time. Leon also has lots of new actions, giving you a strong sense of release compared to Grace’s sequences,” Nakanishi said.
He also gets new combat moves. “Grace’s gameplay is based on Resident Evil 2, whereas Leon’s gameplay includes martial arts and melee moves, based on Resident Evil 4. This is the first new game with Leon as a main protagonist since Resident Evil 6, and he’s older and more experienced now. A major development theme for us was: ‘What would Leon be like in 2026?’ Even though he keeps fighting to save people, bioterror never goes away, so what state of mind has he reached now? What can he do with his seasoned combat skills? With those concepts in mind, we added new elements on top of a Resident Evil 4-style foundation,” Nakanishi explained.
Leon gets a sleek and luxurious custom Porsche
Fans also got a peek at Leon behind the wheel of a custom Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT, created in collaboration with Porsche. “We were looking for a car that fit Leon, and thankfully, Porsche kindly agreed, which led to a full collaboration.
We made it his personal car, a Cayenne Turbo GT custom-built to suit the game’s world. It’s a one-of-a-kind car. We hope to show footage of it at some point,” Kumazawa said. Nakanishi joked, “Please look forward to seeing what happens this time (laughs).”
Of course, after decades of fighting and surviving, Leon deserves to finally have his own luxurious and stylish car, right?
Resident Evil Requiem launches on 27 February, 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows via Steam. Players can expect a thrilling mix of high-octane action and tense horror, alternating between Leon and Grace as they tackle Raccoon City from two very different angles.
